An injection molding system comprising: a first selected valve, one or more downstream valves, delivering a fluid to a mold cavity, at least one fluid property sensor that detects a flow front of fluid material flowing downstream through the mold cavity at a trigger location within the cavity disposed between the first gate and at least one selected downstream gate, a controller instructing an actuator associated with the downstream gates to open the gates at a predetermined open gate target time on a first injection cycle, each valve associated with a position sensor that detects opening of a gate at an actual open gate time to the controller, the controller automatically adjusting time of instruction to open the gates on a subsequent injection cycle by an adjustment time equal to any delay in time between the predetermined open gate target time and the actual open gate time.

A method of monitoring and controlling a sequential valve gate molding apparatus in an injection molding or other molding process is disclosed. The method includes creating a target strain profile, receiving a deviation limit, receiving a change in strain relating to a first valve gate from a first strain gauge, identifying whether a deviation exists from a first portion of the target strain profile based on the output from the first strain gauge, determining whether any existing deviation exceeds the deviation limit, and adjusting the position of a first valve gate pin in the first valve gate if it does. The method may further include control of subsequent valve gates. Multiple strain gauges may be used to control a single valve gate, and/or each strain gauge may control more than one valve gate.

An injection molding system comprising: a first selected valve, one or more downstream valves, delivering a fluid to a mold cavity, at least one fluid property sensor, each valve associated with a position sensor that detects opening of a gate at an actual open gate time to the controller, the controller automatically adjusting time of instruction to open the gates on a subsequent injection cycle by an adjustment time equal to any delay in time between a predetermined open gate target time and an actual open gate time, wherein the system forms a first one or more parts or objects, the user inspecting or measuring the first one or more parts or objects and manually adjusts the predetermined open gate target time.

An injection molding system comprising: a first selected valve, one or more downstream valves, delivering a fluid to a mold cavity, at least one fluid property sensor that detects a flow front of fluid material flowing downstream through the mold cavity at a trigger location within the cavity disposed between the first gate and at least one selected downstream gate, a controller instructing an actuator associated with the downstream gates to open the gates at a predetermined open gate target time on a first injection cycle, each valve associated with a position sensor that detects opening of a gate at an actual open gate time to the controller, the controller automatically adjusting time of instruction to open the gates on a subsequent injection cycle by an adjustment time equal to any delay in time between the predetermined open gate target time and the actual open gate time.

A method of manufacturing a printing cylinder. The method comprises providing a moulding apparatus comprising a cylindrical moulding vessel defining a moulding cavity (101). The vessel comprises at least one inlet for the ingress of moulding material. The method comprises performing an injection moulding operation comprising: injecting moulding material through the at least one inlet to substantially fill the moulding cavity with moulding material; and effecting hardening of the moulding material within the vessel (102). The method comprises removing the printing cylinder (103). At least part of the injection moulding operation is performed in the presence of an active pressure being applied to the moulding cavity.

Injection molding system comprising at least one first actuator-system (D1, D2, D3), the first actuator system comprising: at least one piston drive having at least two pressure line connectors (CP2, CP3) to drive a piston to open or close a molding nozzle, pressure lines (L1, L2) connectable to a changeover valve (V) having a pressure line connector (P) and tank line connector (T) and at least two changeover pressure line connectors, wherein the first changeover valve pressure line connector (CV1) is connectable to a first pressure line (L1) and the second changeover valve pressure line connector (CV2) is connectable to a second pressure line (L2), wherein the second pressure line (L2) is connected to the second pressure line connector (CP2) of the piston drive, an electronically adjustable flow control valve having a first pressure line connector and a second pressure line connector, wherein the first pressure line connector of the adjustable flow control valve being connected to the first pressure line (L1) to allow a connection to the first pressure line connector (CV1) of the changeover valve (V), and the second pressure line connector is connected to a third pressure line (L3) which establishes a connection to the second pressure line connector (CP3) of the piston drive, at least one electronic flow sensor for (P1, P2, P3) sensing flow rate in the first, second and/or third pressure lines (L1, L2, L3), a controller connected to the adjustable flow control valve and to the at least one sensor, configured to electronically adjust the flow control valve, depending on information of the at least one sensor, controlling thereby the timing and the speed of the movement of the piston and the molding nozzle.

A system and method for the injection moulding of plastic material through a plurality of injectors each having a pin valve displaceable in a controlled fashion between a closing position and an opening position by a respective actuator of an electronic control type, in which there is provided prompt activation of a preset function of changing a colour of the plastic material to be injected, actuated according to an optimized sequence which minimizes a number of moulding operations required to change the colour.

The present invention is intended to provide a method for manufacturing a resin gear with a core metal by which there is no reduction in strength even with gates allowing decrease in material costs such as pin gates in the molding die for injection molding. The manufacturing method includes: gates at a primary molding step and gates at a secondary molding step are pin gates or the like. The number of the gates at the primary molding step and the number of the gates at the secondary molding step are plural and identical, and the gates are arranged circumferentially. Gate positions G21, . . . at the secondary molding step are circumferentially intermediate or nearly circumferentially intermediate between gate positions G11, . . . and weld positions W11, . . . adjacent to the gate positions G11, . . . in the primary molded article.

Provided is a panel, an article including such a panel and method of its manufacture, where the panel includes a base layer having a first face and a second face, integrally sandwiched between a first exterior layer applied over the first face, and a second exterior layer applied over the second face. In addition, the bulging portions of the base layer projecting from the first face and the second face are exposed through respective openings at the first exterior layer and the second exterior layer, extending in register with said bulging portions.

An injection molding system comprising: a first selected valve, one or more downstream valves, delivering a fluid to a mold cavity, at least one fluid property sensor, each valve associated with a position sensor that detects opening of a gate at an actual open gate time to the controller, the controller automatically adjusting time of instruction to open the gates on a subsequent injection cycle by an adjustment time equal to any delay in time between a predetermined open gate target time and an actual open gate time, wherein the system forms a first one or more parts or objects, the user inspecting or measuring the first one or more parts or objects and manually adjusts the predetermined open gate target time.